1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
Dragon fruit grows on the Hylocereus cactus, also known as the Honolulu Queen, whose flowers only open at night. The plant is native to southern Mexico and Central America. Today, it is grown all over the world. The two most common types have bright, red skin with green scales that resemble a dragon — hence the name. The variety that’s most widely available has white pulp with black seeds. The less common variety has red pulp with black seeds. Another variety has yellow skin and white pulp with black seeds. It is referred to as yellow dragon fruit. Dragon fruit may look exotic, but its flavors are similar to other fruits. Its taste has been described as a slightly sweet cross between a kiwi and a pear. Dragon fruit has a unique look and taste and there’s envidence it may provide health benefits.
(Spritzler, 2017).
Dragon Fruits have many nutrients. Rich in antioxidants, they contain vitamin C, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and several B vitamins for carbohydrates metabolism, as well as carotene and protein. Calcium is present for strong bones and teeth, from a strengthened immune system and faster healing of bruises and wounds to fewer respiratory problems. Dragon fruits have zero complex carbohydrates, so food can be more easily down in the body, helped by vitamin B1 and other B vitamins. The phytochemical captin, used as a medication to treat heart problems, is present in the fruit itself, and an oil in the seed operates as a mild laxative. The seeds of dragon fruit are high in polyunsaturated fats (omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids) that reduce triglycerides and lower the risk of cardiovascular disorders. Eating dragon fruit can help the body maintain such normal function as ridding the body of toxic heavy metals and improved eyesight. Lycopene, responsible for the red color in dragon fruit, has been shown to be linked with a lower postate cancer risk. (Anonymous, 2017).
2
Making jam has a very long history. The earliest cookbook, called Of Culinary Matters, which dates back to 1st century Rome, contained recipes for making jam. It was part of the diet in the countries of the Middle East where there was an abundance of sugar that grew naturally. Honey was also used as a sweetener. This enabled the people to have vitamins from fruit all year round. Early settlers in New England used other ways of making jam, using molasses, honey and maple sugar to give it the sweet taste. They used pectin obtained from boiling apple peel to use as the thickening agent.
This ordinary should be expand by make a new experience to eat dragon fruit not just as kind of salad or snack menu. The writer want to see Dragon Fruit could be nicely package as a snack menu as a jam and attract the Indonesian consumer. Dragon Fruit is easy to process, rich of essential benefits and healthy. From here, the writer would like to make an innovation of Dragon Fruit to become a new snack product that is practice to eat and could nicely packaging.
1.2 Objective
The purpose is to introduce that Dragon Fruit not only serve as a salad menu but also can be serves as a small meal or snack after having a heavy meal.
- Innovative product made by Dragon Fruit - It is a healthy food that edible by any ages
